Apparatus for treating surfaces



March 17, 1953 c PLATT ET AL 2,631,413

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SURFACES Filed May 25, 1950 2 SHEETS--SHEET l A7'7DP/VE) Patented Mar. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,631,413 APPARATUS FOR TREATING SURFACES obit-G; Platt Minneapolis, and winstoii'li. Sabatka, St. Paul, Minn. Application May 25, 1950, Serial hi; (01. 51- 15) 10 Claims.

The invention herein presents a novel and improved method o'ftreaitin'g surfaces; such, for example, as surfaces ofsparkplugs to be cleaned, and a new and improved appara'tusby employ ment of which the method'can' be practiced. A description of the apparatus will sufilce to make plain a mann'eriri which the" several steps" of the method can bep'erformed. v

Although the principm or' the invention are applicable when surfaces of various types of articles or materials are "tdbe'cleaned, or otherwise treated, the apparatus'as herein illustrated and described has been devised to be especially useful for' the purpose of cleaning spark plugs.

In the accompanying drawmgs'rormmg a part of this specification; v u, v

Fig. l is a side elevational view of'an apparatus made according totheinvntion" adapted to be employed to the accomplishment of the treatment of spark plugs to cause thein to be cleaned;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the disclosure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transversesectional view, taken on line 33 in Fig. 1 1

Fig. 4 is a vertical'longitudinal sectional view,

taken on line 4 4 in Fig.2} and V Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view,taken on line 55 in Fig. 2.

A frame of the apparatus includesa base it,

constituted as a fiat rectilinear slab adapted to be rested upon a support therefor, and spaced uprights, denoted II and I2, -respectively, upon an end portion of said base and disposed in transverse alinement- The upright I I fixedly supports ajfirst tubular element I3, the upright fixedly supports a second tubular element Mgsaid first and second tubular elements I3 and I I are in'alined relation and meet at a locationbetween' and spaced from said uprights atfarther distance from the upright II than from the upright I2; and each of' said first and second tubular elements is cylindrical, as well as hollow. Atransverse partition wall I5 separates the interior, meeting ends of the first and second tubular elements I3 and I4,

to the base I0, comprising an exterior bounding wall of said housing. and closure -wa11s, represented I1 and I8, respectively, upon the opposite ends"ofsaid'hollow cylindrical member I6, r0

. 2 tatably sup orted, as at l9 afidZD; upon said first and second tubularelem'ents I3 and It in perpendic lar relation thereto ahdag'ainst the possibility of l o ngit udinal movement thereon. The closure wallsiI lar'idIt' are secured to the opposite'ends of the houow cylindrical member Itan'd mounted upofi the'tubular elements I3 and hi, respectively, in'fluid-tightmanner. An opening 2| intheiclosureTwall" It, for affording acce'ss'to theintjerioroi the housing, i covered, also in fluid-tight manner; by a 're'mov'ame closure member 22.,

The fi'r't tubular element I3"fiXed1y supp lrts spaced parallel rows of nozzles 23 in spaced, alined relation circumfrentially of said first tubular element and disposedwithin the housing, at the side Qr'thetransverse partition wan :5 adjacent thejup'right I I, which extend upwardly from said first tubular ele'ment and terminate in spaced, adjacent relation to the internal surface of the"hollow cylindrical member I5 of said housing. nsdisclo'sed a erpws or nozzles 23 are spaced equidist tl' K ,from" each other and from the closure walls "I I "and I 8', respectively.

Said hollow cylindrical member IBis' shaped tojprovidel a trough 24; posed ext'eriorly of the remainder of fthejhollowcylindric'al member nd. i diadia e it" t 'Q1 r w .1 b tween this irientionedclosurewall and the transver paruus wall I5; The'seco'nd tubular ele' ment I4 fixedlyisuppo'rts" a conveyor tube 25 also disposed within the housing, at theside of said transverse'partition wall I5 adjacent the upright I2, which extendsfve'rtically"downward from said second tubularelmefit and'terminates within thetroughlz l in spaced adjac ent relause to" the transverse center of the internal surface of its bounding wall, constituted as a part of the hollow cylindrical member I6.

The first tubular element I43 opens to the interior ends of the 'nozz1es"23;-theexterior ends of said" nozzles open'tothe' interior'of the hous ingwhich in turn'is open-to the exterior end of the conveyor wee" 25," and the interior 'endof said conveyor tube opens to'the second tubular apump 21, also'is'upportedupon'said a e or the r m ndp i ism fireh use t b W f uponthe first andse'co'rid tubu1arelements I3 and I4. end portion 1280f the motor shaft adjacent the pump 2'I is connected to a drive shaft 29 of said pump through the medium of a flexible coupling 35, and an end portion 3| of said motor shaft, at the ide or end of the motor opposite the pump, fixedly supports a small pulley 32 drivingly connected with the housing through the instrumentality of a belt 33 riding said small pulley and also riding a large pulley 34 fixedly secured to the outer surface of the closure wall I! in surrounding, concentric relation to the first tubular element [3.

A first pipe connection 35 leads from the pump 21 to a second pipe connection 35 which in turn communicates with an outer end of the first tubular element l3, and a third pipe connection 31 extends between an outer end of the second tubular element i4 and said pump 2?. The second pipe connection 36 includes a manually actuable valve 38 adapted to be closed to preclude passage of fluid through said second pipe connection and open to permit passage of fluid, and the second pipe connection suitably and conveniently supports a heater 35, of ordinary or preferred construction, for warmingfluid upon its passage through said second pipe connection.

First, second, third and fourth inlet pipe conneetions, denoted 46, ll, 42 and 53, respectively, lead to the first tubular element 13 independently of the second pipe connection 35, and manually actuable valves in said mentioned inlet pipe connections, for precluding or permitting flow of fluid, are indicated 54, 45, 46 and 57, respectively.

An outlet pipe connection 58 leads from the location of jointure of the first and second pipe connections 35 and 36, and said outlet pipe connection is controlled by a manually actuable valve 49.

The housing is adapted to contain fluid during practical operation of the apparatus, and the fluid can be transmitted to the interior of said housing through any one, or several, of the inlet pipe connections 40, M, 42, 43. The valves 38 and 49 will be closed while fluid is being conveyed to the housing, as will the valves in the inlet pipe connections other than those open for transmission of fluid.

After fluid is admitted to the housing, the valves which were opened to allow passage of the fluid will be closed and the valve 38 in the second pipe connection 36 will be opened before the electric motor 26 is set in operation to actuate the pump 21. Stated otherwise, the valve 38 will be open and all of the other valves will be closedat all times while said motor and pump .are operative to force flow of fluid through the housing.

The outlet pipe connection 48 is for removal of spent fluid from the housing, and when spent fluid is to be removed, the valve 49 will be opened and all of the other valves, including the valve 38, will be closed.

The construction and arrangement will be such that operation of the electric motor 26 while the valve 38 is open and all of the other valves are closed, will cause the pump 2'? to be actuated to force fluid into the housing by way of the first and second pipe connections 35 and 36, the first tubular element l3 and the nozzles 23 and withdraw fluid from said housing and return it to said pump by way of the conveyor tube 25, the second tubular element 54 and the third pipe connection 31, and also such that operation of said electric motor while the valve 49 is open and all of the other valves are closed, will cause the pump to be actuated to withdraw fluid from the housing by way of said conveyor tube 25 and said third pipe connection 37 and force the fluid 4 to the outlet pipe connection 48 by way of said first pipe connection 35.

Speaking generally, the housing will contain fluid up to a level below the elevation of the exterior, upper ends of the nozzles 23, and articles or materials the surfaces of which are to be cleaned, or otherwise treated, will be rigidly supported in fluid-tight manner in the hollow cylindrical element It with said surfaces exposed at the interior of said housing in vertical alinement with said nozzles 23. During operation of the apparatus, jets of fluid will be continuously forcibiy sprayed radially from the nozzles, and the surfaces of each article or material to be cleaned, or otherwise treated, will be alternately subjected to the jets or fluid, while alined with said jets, and doused into and wiped through the cleaning or treating fluid, naturally retained in the bottom of the housing by reason of gravity. Stated differently, each surface to be cleaned, or otherwise treated, will rotate with the housing to alternately travel through the body of fluid and be subjected to the jets of fluid between intervals when said surface is above said body of fluid and below said jets of fluid in clearing relation to both.

In the disclosure as made, the hollow cylindrical member l6 fixedly supports two spaced rows of spark plugs 55 in parallel planes and in vertical alinement with the nozzles 23, the spark plugs of each row being circumferentially spaced about said hollow cylindrical member.

Each spark plug is removably supported in fluid-tight manner in an annular fitting 5| itself rigidly seated in fluid-tight manner, as at 52, in the hollow cylindrical member [6. An interior portion of each annular fitting 5| includes an internal annular flange 53 with threaded opening 54 for detachably receiving the threaded end portion 55 of a spark plug, adjacent its points 56, and said points are disposed interiorly of the housing to be subjected to the jets of fluid in one or the other of the rows of jets. An intermediate portion of each annular fitting 5! includes an internal annular shelf 51, in spaced relation to the threaded end portion 55 and to an annular shoulder or surface 58 of the spark plug, above said threaded end portion in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and an annular gasket 59 rests upon said annular shelf 5'! beneath said annular shoulder or surface. Each spark plug will be made to have a fluid-tight flt merely by turning the threaded end portion 55 into the threaded opening 54 of the corresponding annular fitting to force the annular shoulder or surface 58 of the spark plug down against the corresponding annular gasket 59 thus to cause said annular gasket to be sealingly clamped between said annular shoulder or surface and the annular shelf 51. Openings 60 in each annular fitting 5|, at the interior side of the annular shelf 51, permit access of fluid to the adjacent end portion of a spark plug when in the fitting. It will be apparent that spark plugs can be readily and easily removed from the fittings by reversal of the turning movement applied to insert them.

The inlet pipe connections 48, GI, 42 and 43 are of course for the conveyance of different types of fluids, as may be selected, to the housing.

The new and improved method and apparatus are being successfully employed to clean spark plugs of aircraft engines. The fluid being utilized is a strong caustic cleaning compound in liquid condition. The time consumed to the accomplishment of thorough cleaning is anywhere from one tofivehours, depending. upon. the condition. of thesurfaceslof spark plugs when subjected to the treatment. The. openings in the ignition ends of the spark plugs. are. filled with. the. cleaning solution when at. the lower portion of. the. housin duringits, rotation, and cleaning fluid. pours out of said openings upon rotation. of the Spark plugs to theupper portion of said housing. I'he jets of liquid strike the. ignition ends ofthe sparl; plugs while clear of, the body. of liquid in the housing. Alternate immersion and: spraying of the surfaces. to. be cleaned of the. spark plugsis accomplished by reason of repeated revolutionsof said housing, and successive immersions produce intermittentcirculation oithe cleaningfiuid in and throughthe spark plug openings. That is, alterhate covering or filling and uncovering; ordraining of the surfacesubeing treated is accomplished n spo se c otation f the housing, and the jetsoi' liquid st1il;e .the,surf aces whileclear or" the od i id o p r orma scrubbin act on thereon. Finely divided solid substances can be added to the cleaning compound to actas an abrasi The fluid employed can gaseousor vaporous, aswellas liquid. By way of example, compressed airis agaseous fiuidandsteamjs avaporousfiuid capable of utilization in the apparatus to be op-- erative upon surfaces to be cleaned, or otherwise treated, and, of course, water can be employed, as, for instance, after the cleaning compound has accomplished its purpose, to rinse the. cleansed surfaces. And, too, finely divided solid substances can be utilized in the apparatus in dry or moist state to produce abrasive action upon surfaces to be cleaned-or otherwise treated.

A typical cycle for cleaning spark plugs is, or could be, as follows:

Treatment of the spark plug surfaces with cleaning fiuid, heated or not heated and/or in cluding or not including finely divided substances for accomplishing abrasive action, as may be desirable, until said surfaces are clean; rinsing of the surfaces with water to clear them of loose particles; application of steam to said surfaces to cause them to be heated; and. subjection of the surfaces to the action of compressed air to cause them to be dried. By way of example, the first inlet pipe connection as can beemployed to transmit cleaning fluid to the interior of the housingythe second inlet pipe connection 4i can be utilized to convey water into said housing; steam can be made to enter the housing by way of the third inlet pipe connection 32; and compressed air can be conveyed into said homing through the fourth inlet pipe connection d3. No matter Whether the content of the housing, at one time or another, be liquid, vapor, gas or finely divided solid particles in dry or moist state, the pump 2? will be constructed to be capable of causing the content to flow through said housing, out of said pump by way of the first pipe connection 35 and back to the pump by way of the third pip nection 3i, and also capable of removing the content from the housing, by Way of the conveyor tube 25 and said third pipe connection 3? to the pump and by Way of said first pipe connection 35 to the outlet pipe connection 68.

What is claimed is:

-1. An apparatus for treatin a surface with a liquid intended to be operative thereon, comprising a housing, a substantially horizontal axis for said housing constituted as first and second tubular elements, said housing including a hollow member in spaced relation to said first. and second: tubular elements, meansrrorv rep taining said: surface. at. a location inside said housing adj acent-said hollow member, means. for rotating the housing and its. hollow member upon the first. and second. tubular elements to cause said surface retaining means to travel in a circular path substantially ina vertical plane, a nozzle in said housing having fixed. relation to and communi-cating with said. first. tubular element and including an outlet situated to direct treating fluid against the. surface when assembled. with said retaining. means and rotated with said hollow member, a conveyor tube. open at. its oppositeends. to a lower portion of said housing and said second tubular, element, respectively', and means for circulating treating liquid through the first tubular element, said nozzle, the housing, said conveyor: tube and the second tubular elementwhile-a lower portion of said housing contains a body of thetreating liquid in contiguous relation to the hollow member and at. elevation below the outlet from said nozzle.

2. The combination as specified in. claim 1, and an. annular vtrough provided by said hollow member and disposed exteriorly of the remainder of said housing in which an end portion of said conveyor tube spaced from said second tubular element is situated in spacedrelati-on to. the hollow member.

3. In an apparatus of, the character described, a housing, an axis for said housingconstituted as first and second tubular elements, means for rotating the housing upon said first and second tubular elements, a. nozzle in said housing having fixed, relation to and communicating with said firsttubular element and open to an upper portion of said housing, a conveyor tube open at its opposite endsto. a lower portion of said housing and said second tubular element, respectively, and means for circulating a liquid through the first tubular element, said nozzle, the housing, said conveyor tube and the second tubular element. while a, lower portion of said housing. contains; a. body of said liquid at elevation below. theoutlet from. said nozzle.

4. The combination as. specified in claim 3 wherein said housing includes a hollow member in spaced relation to said first and second tubular elements providing an annular trough disposed exteriorly of the remainder of said housing and an end portion of. said conveyor tube spaced from the second tubular element is sit uated in said annular trough in spaced relation to its bounding wall.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a housing, an axle for said housing constituted as first and second tubular elements, means for rotating the housing upon said first and second tubular elements, said first tubular element being open to an upper portion of said housing, a conveyor tube open at its opposite ends to a lower portion of said housing and said second tubular element, respectively, a pump, first and second pipe connections between said pump and said first tubular element, a first manually actuable valve in said second pipe connection, a third pipe connection between said second tubular element and the pump, an outlet pipe connection from said first pipe connection, a second manually actuable valve in said outlet pipe connection, and a motor adapted to be driven while said second manually actuable valve is closed and said first manually actuable valve is open to cause said pump to be actuated to force liquid into said housing by way of said first and second pipe connections and said first tubular element and withdraw fluid from the housing and return it to the pump by way of said conveyor tube, said second tubular element and said third pipe connection, and while said first manually actuable valve is closed and said second manually actuable valve is open to cause the pump to be actuated to withdraw fluid from the housing by way of said conveyor tube, said second tubular element and said third pipe connection and force the fiuid to said outlet pipe connection by way of said first pipe connection.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a fitting comprising a hollow body, an internal flange upon said hollow body having a threaded opening for receiving a threaded end portion of a spark plug provided with an annular shoulder in perpendicular relation to said threaded end portion, an internal annular shelf upon said hollow body, and an annular gasket upon a surface of the internal annular shelf opposite said internal flange adapted to be sealingly clamped between said annular shoulder and internal annular shelf in response to turning of said threaded end portion into said threaded opening.

7. An apparatus for treating points of a spark plug with a substance intended to be operative thereon, comprising a housing including a hollow member, means for supporting said spark plug in said hollow member with said points inside said housing adjacent the hollow member and sealing oif said hollow member against passage of said substance out of said housing, a nozzle within said housing including an outlet situated to direct said substance radially outwardly of said housing and against said points, means for accomplishing relative rotation of said nozzle and said hollow member with spark plug, and means for forcibly circulating said substance through said nozzle.

8. An apparatus for treating points of a spark plug with a liquid intended to be operative thereon, comprising a housing including a hollow member, means for supporting said spark plug in said hollow member with said points inside said housing adjacent the hollow member and sealing off said hollow member against passage of said liquid from said housing, a nozzle within said housing including an outlet situated to direct said liquid radially outwardly of said housing and against said points, means for rotating the housing and hollow member to cause said spark plug and its points to travel in a circular path substantially in a vertical plane, and means for circulating said liquid under pressure through the housing by way of said nozzle while a lower portion of said housing contains a body of liquid in contiguous relation to the hollow member and at elevation below the outlet from said nozzle.

9. An apparatus for treating a surface with a liquid intended to be operative thereon, comprising a housing, first and second tubular elements, said housing including a hollow member in spaced, surrounding relation to said first and second tubular elements, means for retaining said surface at a location inside said housing adjacent said hollow member, means for rotating the housing and its hollow member relative to the first and second tubular elements to cause said surface retaining means to travel in a circular path substantially in a vertical plane, a nozzle in said housing communicating with said first tubular element and including an outlet situated to direct treating fluid against the surface when assembled with said retaining means and rotated with said hollow member, a conveyor tube open at its opposite ends to a portion of said housing and said second tubular element, respectively, and means for circulating treating liquid through the first tubular element, said nozzle, the housing, said conveyor tube and the second tubular element while a lower portion of said housing contains a body of the treating liquid in contiguous relation to the hollow member and at elevation below the outlet from said nozzle.

10. The combination as specified in claim 9, and an annular trough provided by said hollow member and disposed exteriorly of the remainder of said housing in which an end portion of said conveyor tube spaced from said second tubular element is situated in spaced relation to the hollow member.

CORT G. PLATT. WINSTON E. SABATKA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,343,350 Coburn June 15, 1920 1,395,376 White Nov. 1, 1921 1,906,548 Davis May 2, 1933 2,302,809 Stehlik Nov. 24, 1942 2,431,354 Wallberg Nov. 25, 1947 

